1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to protective coverings for medical personnel, and in particular to a device for shielding a medical attendant's face from contact with any body fluids of a patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Medical attendants that provide early treatment for trauma victims frequently come into contact with a patient's body fluids. For example, medical personnel for emergency room, ambulance, police and fire departments often must provide fast emergency treatment to patients that are bleeding. It is not uncommon for blood to come into contact with the face of the medical attendant. The body fluids of a trauma victim can transmit communicable infectious diseases to a medical attendant. Infection can occur through chapped lips, abrasions or other means.
In the prior art, there has been no protection for persons providing emergency medical attention. Face masks are not normally worn. Even if worn, a face mask is permeable to liquid and doesn't cover the entire face. Caps are worn by emergency room personnel. These caps do not provide protection against the face being contacted with a patient's body fluids. These caps are worn to prevent hair from the technician from falling into restricted areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,943,575 et, Mar. 16, 1976, James H. Bolker, shows a hood which has a plastic face plate. This hood is to be worn by operating room personnel. While this device may be suitable for operating room personnel, it is not practical for emergency room personnel, or other people providing emergency treatment. Such a hood would be cumbersome to be worn continuously by such medical personnel. If not worn continuously, the risk of contact with a patient's body fluids on the face would still exist. It would be unlikely that such emergency personnel in all cases would remember to retrieve such a hood and place it on before coming close to a patient needing emergency treatment.